- On Friday night, MTV hosted a virtual dance party, dubbed "Prom-Athon," for all of the high school seniors whose real proms have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Former first lady Michelle Obama made an appearance via video chat to deliver an uplifting and inspirational speech to the class of 2020.
- In her message, Obama also plugged the When We All Vote campaign and urged students to register and vote this fall.
Events around the world are going virtual as part of the response to the coronavirus pandemic and that includes some major milestones for the class of 2020. On Friday, MTV hosted a star-studded virtual dance party called Prom-Athon for all of the high schoolers who are missing out on their real proms this year because of COVID-19.
One of the speakers for the big event was none other than former first lady Michelle Obama, who kicked off the festivities with an uplifting, inspirational speech for the seniors.
Read her speech in full below:
"Hey Class of 2020! Look, I know that none of you planned on missing out on so many senior year milestones, things like sports tournaments, or prom nights, but I am so proud of what I've seen from you all.
You're persevering through everything you're facing and look, there is no playbook for any of this, and yet you've shown creativity and resilience far beyond your years. That’s why all of us at When We All Vote and MTV, wanted to celebrate you....Breathe deep, dance your heart out and enjoy this Prom-athon.
You've earned it and, as always, if you know anyone who is not registered to vote, just tell them to text PROM to 56005. It might be the most important thing you do right now.
You’ve accomplished so much this year in the face of so much and I know it’s just the beginning. So have a great time tonight everybody, love you all."
Watch Obama's full video message to the class of 2020 below:
🎓CLASS OF 2020 🎓@MichelleObama has a special message for you ahead of #MTVPromathon tonight! Join the party at 9pm ET on MTV's YouTube! ✨ pic.twitter.com/QlJyciBykuMay 22, 2020
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Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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